Long term evolution (LTE) and other radio communications technologies can require significant infrastructure and configuration. Generally, network operators test various aspects of their network equipment to ensure reliable and efficient operation. Network operators typically simulate various conditions before equipment is deployed in a live network to decrease avoidable delays and/or other problems.
Various technical specifications, such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Technical Specifications 36.211, 36.212, 36.213, and 36.214, hereinafter respectively referred to as “TS 36.211”, “TS 36.212”, “TS 36.213”, and “TS 36.214”, define aspects of LTE communications. Generally, data from the network to a user device is referred to as downlink data and data from the user device to the network is referred to as uplink data. For example, user equipment (UE), such as a cellular mobile phone, a laptop, other user device, may communicate with an enhanced or evolved Node B (eNode B) via the cellular radio transmission link. Data that is sent from the eNode B to the user device is downlink data, and data that is sent from the user device to the eNode B is uplink data.
LTE data is usually transmitted using one or more multiplexing and/or modulation schemes. For example, in some LTE networks, downlink data is transmitted using an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) and uplink data is transmitted using single carrier frequency-division multiple access (SC-FDMA). Such schemes may allow multiple streams of data to be sent simultaneously (e.g., at different frequencies, using multiple antennas). While such schemes may allow data to be communicated at high-speed, significant processing is required to encode and decode the data. For example, a user device may perform LTE uplink data processing on transport data blocks (TBs), such as channel encoding, rate matching, multiplexing, and interleaving of data and/or control streams. The uplink data may then be modulated and sent to an eNode B via an air interface.
Since LTE data processing is generally complex and communications are time-sensitive, it is important for LTE uplink data processing to be performed quickly and efficiently. For example, in testing environments where multiple user devices may be simulated by a traffic simulator, performing LTE uplink data processing quickly and efficiently may present additional issues as a finite amount of physical resources (e.g., hardware and/or firmware) may be available for the LTE uplink data processing.
Accordingly, in light of these difficulties, a need exists for improved methods, systems, and computer readable media for performing LTE uplink data processing.